


Apologies; or attempts at them

by orphan_account



Category: The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Genre: Boba Tea, Chen is a disaster. We stan, Heehoo. Chen is a gay mess, He’s trying his best, LET LLOYD READ COMICS COWARDS, Lloyd is shy. Thanks, M/M, bless Lloyd for being so babey you know, chen does NOT have a crush, he did a nasty thing and knows it, he has a realization that he was being an asshole, maggie is?? Interesting, oh god he might???, that’s what matters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22264789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lloyd looks relieved for a few seconds, before the walls go back up again. "Why are you doing this?""Because. People have assumed things about me before, and I realized that despite my issues being NOWHERE near yours, that you didn't need someone else making your life worse. So." He cleared his throat, brushing his hair away from his eyes."Can we start over?“Lloyd’s still deemed the son of the worst guy in the world; but maybe a guilt-stricken cheerleader can help improve his life by being a friend.If said cheerleader can even start a decent apology, that is.
Relationships: Chen the Cheerleader/Lloyd Garmadon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 57





	Apologies; or attempts at them

**Author's Note:**

> I just. Wow I love Chen the cheerleader. Thank the stars he has like, no backstory so I can make my own

"And THEN. You're not going to believe this, but she had the nerve to get in my face with that stupid red lip gloss and threaten me. "My daddy is one of the most influential people in the city, behind the mayor. He'll end your family in a second." As if I care, Harumi, they're not your real parents anyway."

"Maggie! You can't just say that!" Chen shrieked, trying to hold back his giggles. The two of them were at the mall; no practice today, for once, so it's time for them to exchange gossip. It's always interesting to hear what the rest of the school's been up to.

"I can and I did. She's a bitch. I saw her corner that garmadork kid a few days ago. Practically made him cry. She wasn't even saying anything mean, I don't think. She was just getting in his face and if I didn't know any better, she sees something in that twink. God knows what, but he looked like he was ready to die. That hotheaded kid from the soccer team saved him. He's cute, I'd definitely screw around with him if he wasn't around Lloyd. Poor kid can’t help his bad reputation." She adjusted her blonde ponytail, popping her gum once as they strolled past the shops. 

Chen hummed, adjusting his jacket as they walked past a pizza place, some kids screaming as weary parents looked on. He really shouldn’t say this; but it’s the only way to see what Maggie’s reaction is. He’d never do this to anyone, in reality.

"Maggie, you have my full permission to smack me after I say this, but...what if I take garmadork around for a spin, flaunt him in Harumi's face for a little bit?" He dodged the slap he knew was coming, holding his hands up in defense.

"No. Chen, you're my best friend. We've cried over movies, boyfriends, and shitty parents. But I know you get attached, FAST, and I'm not letting you destroy yourself just to get back at that..." Maggie wildly gestured, face contorted as she tried to think of a word. "I'm not going to even try and say something less insulting. I'm not letting you ruin yourself over that bitch."

He sighed, rolling his eyes as they stopped in front of some bright, peppy store. "Maggie. I... might feel slightly bad about what I did to him. He really looks like he couldn't hurt a fly. I think making a song degrading him was too far."

"But it was funny! And I thought you just wanted to "flaunt him around." I guess that secretly means apologize to you, And I don't know about what you think, but my bank account appreciates the song income."

"Yeah, but..." Chen bit his lip, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You can go without the song income. I don’t want to flaunt him around, I want to say sorry to him. I only messed with him starting this year, And...I don't know if it's true, that he helps his dad. But assuming that he's bad just because of his parentage is like assuming I'm gay just because I do cheerleading."

"Chen. You are gay." 

"I know! But that's not the point." He exclaimed, exasperated, as he tightened his grip on his phone. "The point is that it's not okay to judge him for that. And I regret doing it to start with, but...I doubt there's anything I could really do besides apologize outside of public eye? I don't know, Maggie."

The blonde beside him sighed, massaging her temples before glaring up at him. "You're really stuck up on this, huh? What are you gonna do afterwards? Apologize, forget it happened, stay the top cheerleader and just, forget his existence?"

"I don't know!" Chen groaned, falling on his knees in the mall. That caught quite a few glances, as Maggie stared down at him, unamused.

"Get up, first of all. I don't want you whining that you ruined your jeans later. Secondly, I think you have a crush on the twink, which I don't really get how that works considering YOU'RE a twink. But anyway. You have a crush on him. And last but not least, he's over there in that old comic store. Get your butt up, go over and give your heartfelt, over-dramatic apology so we can go to the noodle house and bribe your sister for free food and you can cry to her, while creating some elaborate plan to sweep him off his feet."

Chen choked on air, immediately going into a coughing fit.

"No! Maggie, no, on so many levels."

"I know what I'm talking about. Remember when you had a crush on that guy your freshman year? I still can't believe I've been a good friend and not told anyone, I really should ha-"

"OKAY. Don't remind me, PLEASE." Chen begged, standing up and clasping a hand over her mouth.

"Get off me. And fine, you can deny you have a crush and urge to protect him because he's shy or whatever. The least you can do is apologize so GO." She smacked his hand away, before pushing him towards the comic store.

"Fine." Chen swallowed nervously, straightening his posture. The comic store is older, for sure, and he tries to shove away his nerves as he walks to the entrance.

Lloyd's over by the far back, same old green jacket draping his body. His blonde hair isn't covering his eyes, for once...it's in a ponytail, a few strands escaping it and framing his cheeks.

It's cute. And goddammit, maybe Maggie was right.

Walking into the store, he started navigating through the colorful sections, wiping his now-sweaty hands on his jacket as he passed by a few kids diligently doing a re-enactment from a book.

Lloyd is a few feet away, face turned to the shelf as he thumbs through a book. Chen's heart is racing faster than he can keep up with. It's not that he fears Lloyd's rejection and overall anger; Lloyd deserves to be angry! It's just...he doesn't know if he can show his apology is genuine.

 _"Stop being a coward. You've done much bolder things than this."_ His mind chides, as he feels his feet moving forward. One tiny tap on Lloyd's shoulder is all it takes.

And faster than he can comprehend, he's pressed against the shelf, comics falling to the ground. Lloyd has a scared look in his eyes, before realizing what he's done. It makes the scared look even worse.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I didn't, I promise, I'm not like my dad." He stammered, hands held up in defense.

"Hey, I know you didn't. I know that. I'm sorry I scared you, I just wanted to talk to you about something."

Lloyd's demeanor changed from a frightened alley cat to wary, eyes glancing around for anyone's phone camera.Of course he thinks this is some video prank, why wouldn't he?

"Lloyd. I'm sorry for what I did to you from the start of the school year to now. It wasn't fair and you didn't deserve it." Chen basically rushed through the words, leaving him awkward and Lloyd confused.

"I realized that judging you for your parentage, and just assuming you're evil like him is a terrible way of thinking. It's like, thinking that I'm gay just because I do cheerleading. I am, but that's not the point here, the point is that stereotyping isn't okay and neither is the treatment I gave you. I'm sorry, Lloyd."

The son of Garmadon blinked, again looking around for cameras before meeting Chen's gaze.

"Who put you up to this? And why? A fake apology isn't funny."

"'No one! Lloyd, I wouldn't tell you that if I wasn't being serious. I'm sorry for what I did, and I don't even want you to forgive me if you don't want to. I made your life rough and a song about you was DEFINITELY crossing the line."

Lloyd opened his mouth, only to shut it a moment later. Conflicted was the main emotion on his face, as he started to bite at the cuff of his jacket.

"What does this mean? What are you going to do? Are you just trying to get an assignment done? Are you just going to pretend in school you don't even know me now?"

Chen anxiously rubbed his neck, getting the nerve to look at the blond. "I can recall the song. It's still tied to us, I can request for them to delete all releases. I don't know if they will but I can try. And I'm not going to pick on you at school anymore. The rest of the girls won't either, I promise. You have my word on that."

Lloyd looks relieved for a few seconds, before the walls go back up again. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because. People have assumed things about me before, and I realized that despite my issues being NOWHERE near yours, that you didn't need someone else making your life worse. So." He cleared his throat, brushing his hair away from his eyes.

"Can we start over? It's the first day of our junior year. I'm Chad Chen. Horrible name that very few know." He held out his hand, trying to ignore the fact that it was shaking like a leaf on a windy day.

Lloyd gives him a shy grin, hand reaching out and shaking his own. "I'm Lloyd Garmadon. Menace to society, destroyer of people's mental state, apparently."

Chen snickered, as Lloyd let a quick giggle escape. It's such a new sound that Chen has to stop momentarily to acknowledge it. Hopefully he'll get to hear it more often.

"I'm pretty sure Maggie left me to go find some shop. How about I buy you a boba tea and walk to the bus stop?" He asked, willing the blush that thankfully isn't as visible to get lost.

Lloyd is a different story. His cheeks are slightly flushed, but the insecurity is back again.

"I'd love that, honest, but...this is just, so new, and I'm just scared. I open up to people too easily because the years of heartbreak haven't taught me anything." He mumbled, looking at the floor.

"Okay. That's okay! You're allowed to be leery, especially of me. I treated you like scum. How about I just buy you a tea, and leave it at that? Maybe just...if you want, to just take our friendship slow. If you want to call it that, it doesn't matter to me, I promise." He inhaled quickly, about to start another loud rant of words, before Lloyd placed a dainty finger against his lips.

"That sounds great to me. And a Lemon tea would be nice, if they have that."

Chen nodded, crossing his fingers that his blush wasn't apparent. He doesn't like Lloyd like that.

That’s a lie and he knows it. He might like him like that.

It doesn’t matter if he does; he needs to focus on being friends first. Everything else can wait.


End file.
